The Spectator and the Muses

Describing a Rose to a Blind Man

Beauty can go beyond sight. For the rose, the first thing to surpass this limit is its scent, a misty sweetness that comes from within its petals invading the nose and also hinting its taste. The rest can be appreciated through touch: the cluster of petals on top that feel like a bulb of silky skin; the stem is thin and straight, riddled with sharp thorns; a couple of branches come out of the stem and lead to leaves, which are flat, plus rough on the bottom and soft on the top.